I know we are four months into 2016 already, but only now I got the time to listen to some of the new albums released. What’s more, this list will surprise a lot of people because none of the usual suspects are in it. I’m still to buy the new releases from Megadeth, Dream Theater and Anthrax. But rest assured that as soon as I get my hands in them, they’ll be featured here.

I’m an old-school guy, so it’s very rare that I go online to check some band’s new release. I still love to go to the record store, buy the album and listen to it for the first time when I get home. It’s just who I am and this is one of the pleasures I still get from life in this rotating ball with a cancer called mankind living in it.

Anyway, let me just remind you that now that I’m not a professional Rock journalist for some time, I like to review the albums after only one listen and get my first impressions out. So let’s get down to business and talk about some new music.

Tedeschi Trucks Band – Let Me Get By I’ve been a fan of this band ever since their first record. It’s a perfect mix of Rock, Blues and Soul, with the beautiful voice of sultry Susan Tedeschi. As a matter of fact, through this band I checked her solo career which is also rather good. I’m not a huge fan of the Allman Brothers, but you must respect a guy that played so long with them, Susan’s husband Derek Trucks. This is one of those albums that I like to describe as a pleasant audition. You just sit down, relax, drink something and float with beautiful arrangements, soulful lyrics and pristine playing. The only problem with this band is that alive their songs stretch for too long (the seventies are over people!), but in the studio is a great option!

Monster Truck – Sittin’ Heavy You’ll never see me complaining about a band that wears the Sabbath influence on their sleeve. And it’s amazing the amount of bands that surfaced over the last few years playing Doom, Stoner Rock. And this is another example, this time coming from Canada with their second album. Some songs you can ever hear Ozzy’s vocals singing such is the similarity. And this is a good thing (I just wrote I’ll never complain about a band that does that). However, when they mix something a little lighter, they also get good results as in the Southern Rock tinged, “For the People”. My only wish for Monster Truck is that hopefully they’ll use the opening track “Why Are You Not Rocking?” (what a great title) as opening song at their concerts forever.

Abbath – s/t If we consider Venom an almost Classic Heavy Metal band, with just a few elements of what would become Black Metal, than Immortal is definitely my favorite Black Metal band of all time. Very few of the style managed to marry extremity with classic Metal the way those Norwegians did (one listen to the seminal Sons of Northern Darkness and you’ll know what I’m talking about). So, when their main songwriter acrimoniously left the band to pursue a solo career, I eagerly awaited (I had already enjoyed the short-lived I and Demonaz solo album). And all my expectations were met. It seemed to me I was listening to a great Immortal record. Even the feeling of “cold” that come from the original band is present here. The riffs have a lot of Traditional Metal and at the same time they seem to take you to the fjords with them. In my humble opinion is the album that should have followed SOND. And you even get two covers as bonus track: Judas Priest’s “Riding on the Wind” and Immortal’s “Nebula Ravens Winter.” Check this one out!

Gehennah – Too Loud to Live Too Drunk to Die I’m not going to say that this album is better than Abbath’s, but it is certainly great AND a bundle of joy. If you like me is child of Eigthies metal (right down to the sound of the record), you have a moral obligation to check this one. This is their fourth full-length, but it’s the first one in 20 years. The sound is just a mix of Motörhead, Raven, Ruffians (remember them?), some German Thrash (Desaster and Tankard come to mind) and even Zeke (yes, underground references, and that’s the beauty of it). It’s perfect party music (if you don’t mind getting your house destroyed by the party-goers) and the lyrics are hilarious. Do you want an example? How about these verses from “Let’s Fall Off The Wagon” (the title is already brilliant): “Let’s wake up the neighbors, let’s disturb the peace/ Blasting early Sodom and every Raven release”. Definitely the greatest Metal lyric EVER!